STUDIO SALE!

I have been meaning to do this for quite a while; after painting for a number of years, you get a back log of paintings, studies, sketches and the like piling up in the studio... Some are smaller studies for larger paintings that went to galleries, some are things returned from galleries that haven't sold -- a lot of competition pieces from various shows,  and some are things I just never let go of because....who knows why? 

Of course the dogs and failures I toss or paint over, so everything in this sale is frame-worthy (according to me anyway). There are between 350 to 400 plein air paintings, figure studies and some pastel drawings (even some old illustrations if you're interested)...

The studio is the big building behind my house in Tigard, OR on Saturday, June 14th -- come by for a snack and a free poster if you're in the area!

9am to 5pm  7311 SW Pine Street 97223 -- hope to see you here!

Born in a Barn?

 "Happy Little Barn" (16x20) oil on linen

I wasn't raised on a farm, but may have been born in a barn (I've been painting so many lately). These were painted outside the town of Newberg, Oregon not far from my house. 

"Catawampus" (16x20) o/c

Was never a big fan of 'barn paintings' before, but lately I've been noticing how the old ones with all the character are going away for good in our area, being replaced by steel structures... Better for the farmers I suppose, but sad to see charm of the old school wood going by the wayside... I guess I've warmed up to them now that they're an endangered species -- might even hug one if they weren't so big (and farmer John wasn't watching)...

A shame to think in a few more years, we'll only have pictures of them...and paintings.

Night Tide (progress)

 "Night Tide" (18x18) o/p

This painting began with a trip to Hug Point beach on the northern Oregon coast last month with a couple of painter friends. We were there  painting and sketching all day, and I came away with several plein air studies and some ideas in my sketchbook for something I would do back in the studio.

 From the sketch book...

What I had in mind was a nocturne; a moonlit blue-violet scene that had a sense of peaceful mystery about it (as this beach does at night, being part of what I call the "lonely Oregon coast")...

I did a few monochromatic studies in chalk on Canson paper before I felt comfortable moving to a full colour study with a composition I liked. Although this may appear to be a limited palette, I utilized a full range of oils to achieve a subtle depth of colour involving various blues, violets, greens, greys and browns made up of primary and secondary hues...

 More refinement...

Below is the colour study (the small 12x12 on the left) and the larger version about 3/4 done... I later changed the cloud shapes, omitted the shadow on the large tree trunk and added the shallow cave at the base of the cliff (which is there in real life, but I had originally thought it might be too distracting).

In progress...

I eventually did three versions all together, with the final one being a horizontal 12x16 in which I added more trees to the bluff on the right side. I may post that one later -- it's destined for a show in New York next month.

A tree grows in...Oregon?

 Thumb nails from Sketchbook

Of all the various trees there are to paint, my favorite are the Eucalyptus and the Sycamore; unfortunately they don't do well up here in the Northwest climate so they're very scarce. Oak trees on the other had are everywhere and have a wonderful shape, especially in winter when they're bare-leaved. Pine trees I don't care to paint at all (which may seem ironic in logging country) but they're even more abundant than all the other species put together, so I tolerate them as supporting cast members at times...

 Narrowing it down...

This past January there were a number of cold, but clear days and I was able to get out and do some studies. These quick pencils from my sketchbook were done before starting the composition near the bottom, titled "Behind Winter's Veil".

 This one...

I shifted a few elements around until I came up with a composition that focused the light on one large shape with a second, larger shape in the foreground...

Monochrome study variation in chalk on Canson (5x7)

This drawing is from another location using the same 'dominant light combined with a large shape' idea...

Start on a burnt Sienna canvas

Initial block-in

I originally had some light and shadow lines breaking up the foreground... 

"Behind Winter's Veil" (20x24) o/c

Here is the finished painting; I decided to put the entire foreground in shadow at the last minute to concentrate all of the light on the background tree -- this proved to be more dramatically effective.

It's about the shape and colour in nature and their integral relationships... The old saying, "paint shapes, not things" is good to keep in mind, divesting yourself of preconceived ideas of everyday objects. Trees are noble with individual character, and should be observed that way by the painter, carefully and thoughtfully arranged into pleasing, if not ideal compositions...

Barn Storming.

 Spring Barn, Helvatia (16x20) o/c

Spring is here, after a fairly mild and noticeably short winter. I was able to get out the other night and again the next morning and painted a couple of barns in the Helvatia area here in Oregon. I worked with what was there and kept any touch-ups to a minimum when I got back the the studio...

Century Barn (16x20) o/c

Conferred with a couple of painter friends (one on the east coast and one in the mid-west) whose opinions are that barns are 'stand alone' subject matter; they are a relic and record of the past at the same time as having their own personality in our contemporary world -- like a portrait they have character and style, and like strangers on the street, you pass them by without much thought. These were a joy to paint en plein air and I hope to get out to do it again soon (got one more on my mind out in that area)...

 Thumbnail Sketch (2x2.5)

New Work, New Gallery:

 Sous Chef (24x30) o/p

I've just joined the Jones Terwillliger Galleries in Carmel (and Palm Desert) CA... These new paintings will arrive there tomorrow and I'm looking forward to my association with them, and representation in these California markets!

The Lesson (24x30) o/c

 All Or Nothing (30x40) o/c

This is similar, but different and larger from an earlier version, titled "Nightingale"

No Privacy Backstage (30x24) o/c

Life Drawing in Colour

 (11x14)

Went to a figure drawing session yesterday morning at Crush bar (no, I did not drink!) and drew with oil pastels... These are approximately 30 minutes each on Canson paper. I like the feel of oil pastels over regular, chalk pastels for their tactile relationship to oil paint, and the ability to stretch, blend and stick the colour without the fragile volatility of chalk...

(11x14)

Figure drawing from life is a good practice to do regularly if you can; working from a three dimensional, living, breathing (and ever-moving) subject is a challenge that sharpens your observational senses and hones your eye-to-hand skills as a painter... Model: Julie Webb, Portland, OR

10-YEAR STUDIO ANNIVERSARY

 The Studio

When we were looking for a new home, we envisioned an unattached building for my studio,  and I was ready to settle for a simple 2-car garage...what we got however, turned out to be a 2,000 square foot all-wood, custom Quonset hut! We were the first ones to arrive when it hit the market after our real estate agent called us in a frantic -- our offer was accepted on the spot. What you see above was essentially a giant garage behind the house we purchased in 2002 -- it housed the original owners antique car collection back in 1952. The face of it looks the same today except for the entry which was once a 2-car wide garage door...

 View as you walk in the front doors...

It took a full year to remodel; bring in gas heat, extra electricity and water/sewer for the bathroom. My friend Mike who was a framing carpenter built the floor, stairs, wood shop and bathroom areas. I did some finish work, hanging doors, trim work etc., but hired contractors to insulate and drywall the entire structure.  Today, 10 years later I am still totally stoked to go to work each day in such a magnificent and unique place!

Library to the left of front entry...

My handy father-in-law built the custom bookshelves that house my art book collection and various reference books. The door to the right is storage space under the staircase (on the far left is the double door entry).

 

 View from stairs leading to loft...

The north light windows are 16' high and the ceiling is 20' high at the center with circular fans and 6 of the original early 1950's light fixtures.

 View from back of studio (notice figure model stand on right)

I have most everything on castors so I can easily move things around when I hold figure painting sessions here.

 Upstairs loft office...

This space overlooks the studio and keeps the business part separate from the work space.

 View from back of studio...

You can see my monster-sized Mayline drafting desk on the right (from the 1940's) and the entry to the Wood Shop beyond that with my grandfathers trophy antlers above the door.

 Wood Shop for cutting panels and building shipping crates...

This is closed off from the rest of the studio with a Shop Vac to keep saw dust from entering the painting space.

I've worked in everything from an apartment bedroom to rented office space, so for the first couple of years I told myself I would never move from here; and even though the splendor of this place hasn't diminished, I could move on if need be. Fact is, even though we live in a pleasant neighborhood, we'd like to move to the country and get a little more space around us away from the suburban scene...who knows, maybe there's an old barn out there someplace that just needs a little TLC. Either way, I am blessed to have enjoyed such a dream studio as this one for the last decade...